Milwaukee Road Road Northern Montana Division

[Geared Steam]

Some new and older pictures of the Northern Montana Division, into the "Golden Triangle" of central Montana. Harlowoton to Lewistown, where it again splits up, with a branch to Grassrange and Winnet,another branch to Hilger, Roy and Winifred, and a line to Great Falls, thru to Agawam.

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/2012/12/milwaukee-road-northern-montana-division.html

I remember the rails still being in place in the early 70's in Roy, but they haven't seen a train in quite a while. The Charlie Russell Choo Choo out of Lewistown still operates on the line to Denton MT, and is still in use by the Central Montana Railroad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Montana_Rail,_Inc.

Some of the original rails are also still in use in Great Falls 

[Firelock76]

Again, great shots.  I can see why they call it "Big Sky Country." 

[erikem]

Some comments:

From the 1958 track chart of the Trans-Missouri Division available on Michael Sol's website: There was a run around track in Roy, between the station and end of track. Winnifred also had a wye. The line to Winnet was planned to connect up with the Milwaukee's mainline west of Melstone, with the portion from Grass Range to the Musselshell river to be jointly operated with the Great Northern.

The line from Lewiston to Great Falls was supposed to be part of second main line through Montana from west of Melstone to Bonner Junction via Cadotte's pass.

Having said that, those are really nice pictures!

Thanks,

- Erik

[Geared Steam]

erikem

Some comments:

From the 1958 track chart of the Trans-Missouri Division available on Michael Sol's website: There was a run around track in Roy, between the station and end of track. Winnifred also had a wye. The line to Winnet was planned to connect up with the Milwaukee's mainline west of Melstone, with the portion from Grass Range to the Musselshell river to be jointly operated with the Great Northern.

The line from Lewiston to Great Falls was supposed to be part of second main line through Montana from west of Melstone to Bonner Junction via Cadotte's pass.

Having said that, those are really nice pictures!

Thanks,

- Erik

Yes, Milwaukee had wyes everywhere, there is even a on at Ringling, Agawam.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=loweth+mt&ie=UTF-8&ei=1yoIUvbBI8XR2AWmrYDgAw&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg

Been searching for good pics of Roy with the track down, it had a runaround, but was pulled up by the time I was there in the early 70's. By then there was only a single track and the wye.